Brightline Partners with Talent4Change to Sponsor BUZZitFORWARD Initiative
Community Newspapers · By Charlotte Park · July 9, 2018
The Change Rover “Mobile Innovation Station” transformed into a “Mobile Barbershop” as part of the “BUZZitFORWARD” initiative.
Brightline, Florida's new hospitality-focused express intercity passenger rail service, is partnering with Talent4Change, a non-profit charitable organization, to sponsor BUZZitFORWARD, a mobile barbershop initiative in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties aimed at working with youth and homeless organizations.
Talent4Change will use its mobile barber shop, the BuzzBoxx, to offer free haircuts and mentorship to underprivileged youth and members of the homeless community who take Brightline's rail safety pledge or a brief tutorial on rail safety.
Brightline and Talent4Change kicked off the BuzzBoxx Tour recently at the Overtown Youth Center, the Broward Partnership, and as part of the Juneteenth Freedom Festival in South Miami.
“We are thrilled to have Brightline as a sponsor of the BUZZitFORWARD initiative. Their support will help us expand our reach and make a difference in more communities throughout South Florida,” said Amir Youssef, BUZZitFORWARD program creator.
“Everyone knows, when you look good, you feel good and our goal in using tools like the BuzzBoxx is to help equip kids with self-confidence while encouraging them to use that boost to become better, more responsible members of their community,” Youssef said. “Educating them about rail safety is an important element of the program.”
Brightline and Talent4Change will be working with homeless organizations, youth centers and back to school events to host 40 BuzzBoxx activations in South Florida this summer. All BuzzBoxx barbers have been provided mentorship training so that they know how to best address the youth one-on-one, and to provide the encouragement and follow up needed to help them succeed.
“We are working with a number of community partners on a creative approach to discuss rail safety with members of the homeless community and engage our youth,” said Ali Soule, Brightline's director of public affairs and media relations. “The BuzzBoxx allows us to provide a quality service and spread our message on rail safety.”